Our Steps Seal Fate (two)
Our Steps Seal Fate
Note: I do not own “Once Upon A Time” and I do not make a profit from writing this story. I’m just amusing myself.
Timeline: one week after “you lied to me”
Rating: PG-13
Warnings: language, suggestive content
Genre: General/Drama
Word Count: 1,343
Cast: (in order of appearance/mention) Emma Swan, Henry, Grace, Hansel and Gretel, Red, Ella, James, Snow, Rumpelstiltskin, Frederick, Dwarves, Granny, Belle, Jiminy, Abigail, Adam (OMC), Genie
Summary: History teaches us our greatest lessons and tales as old as time help our steps seal fate. (Or how Emma Swan learned to embrace her heritage and destiny as the daughter of The Charmings.)
two
It was midday. The War Table was now the dining room table. Emma saw and heard the laughter of children as Henry, Paige (Grace, she tried to correct herself), Hansel and Gretel all darted past the windows. Under the close supervision of Red and Ella, the children were having some outdoors time. Due to the fact they knew Regina was still out there, somewhere, Henry was never without a guard.
James (it was odd but she could almost want to call him Dad. But never felt that way for Snow, she decided it was because she was too close to her to want to call her Mother.) was trying to plot out war tactics but every idea was countered by Rumpelstiltskin. His excuse was his long life and the wars he'd been in. He knew a flawed plot when he heard it. This lead to many, many arguments with James and Frederick (and sometimes the Dwarves and Granny) against Rumpelstiltskin. She noted that Snow looked tired, Jiminy was whispering softy to Belle, who looked positively green at this point, and Granny looked like she might murder them all with her knitting needle.
Up with a sudden shot, Belle was up and racing for the closest bathroom. Emma could hear her heaving, and winced. It sounded absolutely painful. Jiminy excused himself to check on her as Rumpelstiltskin stopped to sigh sadly.
"What is wrong with her? You didn't impregnate her, did you?" Abigail asked, looking worried for the girl.
"No, of course not, we would all know if I had. Widow Lucas, do you sense a child?"
Granny looked up from her knitting, Emma noted she was eyeing the Imps throat. Probably ready to rip it out or plunge her knitting instrument into it. "No. Just withdrawals. Anti-psychotics from the scent of it."
"You all have to understand, she's been locked away most of her life, then we were brought here she had been institutionalized. For almost 30 years she has had drugs force fed on a daily basis. Couple not taking them with the anxiety of being in a group, she's going to make herself sick, poor dear. And daughter of Midas, let me remind you that Belle no longer wants any connection to me and it's best for everyone involved if we don't dwell on it. We have other things to worry about."
Abigail gave him an eerie smile, "War?"
"Amongst other things. Now to fo-"
There was a loud shriek from outside as Grace ran past the windows towards the front of the bed and breakfast. Emma saw Red charge, leaving in a flash of Red as the other children swarmed Ella. Soon they heard the front door bang open and a large man now stood in the door way.
Though impressively built, his face was filled with nothing but kindness. His dirty blonde hair was tied back and a mirthful smile consumed his face. He was carrying Grace effortlessly and the girl seemed happy to see him. All eyes went to Snow as she stood up so quickly that her chair fell back.
"Adam!" she cried, rushing to him. In a blur Emma couldn't track, he picked up Snow, holding both girls like they weighed nothing.
He was laughing at her reaction, "Hello Snow, you certainly know how to make a man feel welcome," he told her.
"When one is a good friend as you, how could I not!"
Grace was looking at him, "Adam, is that your name?"
"It is," he told her, "And you, my little one, are Grace. I've come with news from your Papa, he's going to be back soon but in the meantime, he wants me to keep an eye on you. Is that alright?"
Grace studied him close, "I don’t know you as Adam."
The man looked to Snow who was still perched in his other arm. "Am I any different from how I was during my years as Joshua Callahan?"
Snow shook her head, "No. Unlike some of us, you basically remained the same."
"Lucky," Red sighed from the doorway as Ella and the children piled in behind her. "Some barely changed then you have people like me..."
Emma arched her brows, "What do you mean?"
They watched Ella herd the children into the other room, once they were out of earshot Red stated, in her blunt, flat tone, "I was stuck in heat for almost 30 years. Do you know what that did to me?! By the standards of this realm, Ruby was considered a sex addict! I was chaste in this life!"
"That's nothing you should be ashamed of, that was not you. Those were not your actions, Red," Jiminy said, sympathetically as he leaned in the hall.
Rumpelstiltskin spoke up, "I must agree with the Cricket. None of us judge you...though a few of us do remember some times shared with her..."
Emma watched, aching for her friend, as the girl colored to the shade of her cloak. "You're impossible!" she snapped and turned to leave.
"Wait, Red!" Emma said, the girl turned and Emma swore there were tears in her eyes.
Red shook her head, "No, I need to go. I need to get fresh air, to collect myself."
"Wait!" this time it was Jiminy, "I'll go with you. I need to go to my office or the hospital and see if I can find something to ease Belle. She's not doing so well, she's sicker than I'd hoped she'd be at this point. They must have had her on a stronger dosage. Just as a warning, she's nearly unconscious in the bathroom but she was showing no signs of distress. I'll return as quickly as I can. Keep an eye on her."
Rumpelstiltskin saluted him as he hurried to Red and left the bed and breakfast.
"What's wrong with who?" Adam asked.
Emma nodded to the bathroom, "Belle was locked in an asylum all these years. She's not doing well off meds."
Adam frowned, walking towards the bathroom, ducking the doorframe. When he returned, he was carrying Belle. Emma realized he was staring at her like he had never seen a woman before. His face was filled with awe and curiosity.
"Where can I put her? I don't think it's kind to leave someone helpless on the floor," he said.
Granny didn't look up from her knitting, "We have an empty room up the stairs, second door on the left."
"Thank you, Madam," he stated and headed for the stairs.
Emma saw Rumpelstiltskin stare off for a moment, a grin appearing on his face. She couldn't tell if it was for good or bad reasons. Yet again, she could never read him.
"My, my, aren’t we a charming Prince?" he asked.
Adam shrugged effortlessly, holding the girl like she weighed nothing. "Currently but I wouldn't advise getting me mad."
"Why? Not going to turn into the Hulk are you?" Frederick asked, grinning.
The new man retuned the smile. Emma realized they must have known each other here in Storybrooke.
"Worse. But I do not want to dwell on that. I'll return shortly."
"Why didn't you do that? You're closer to her than any of us." Thomas asked.
"I'm old."
Granny snorted. "Can we get back to business? Most of us are not getting any younger."
As Adam rejoined the group, the War became the heated topic again. Emma wanted to throw her hands up and declare this was all insane and she had to be dreaming but Jiminy returned. Adam pointed upstairs. He nodded and hurried upstairs.
"Where's Red?" Abigail asked.
Emma's head whipped to the door as Red called out, "Here! And I have something to strengthen our advantage."
She walked in and shoved a heavily bounded Sidney into the room. He looked at them all with an unreadable look, bowing before them, a sign of supposed submission. Emma watched as Snow stood, hands shaking with rage. It scared her to see the fury in Snow's features.
"Execute him," she ordered as the room flew into chaos.
---
To Be Continued
one